WONDERFUL COSTUME BALL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 284, 26 August 1922, Page 12

WONDERFUL COSTUME BALL

Discussing a wonderful costume ball which waa. to be given in the Albert Hall in aid of the London hospitals fund, a writer in the “Manchester Guardian” gives a brief forecast of what might be expected. Mr. G. Sherwood Koster, who has been responsible for so many Chelsea arts balls, is arranging this one, and, he will have the Albert Hall transformed, as far as possible, into the semblance of Vauxhall Gardens, when, in tho early nineteenth century, they were the resort of fashion and scene of May routs. Costumes of any period of evening dress may be worn by the guests, and if, as is expected, fancy dress is generally chosen, Mr. Taft, who is to loot on. from the American Ambassador’s box. will see one of London’s most amusing and characteristic scenes. The great feature of the ball will be tho procession of 150 women representing the evolution of women’s dress from 1800 to 1900. Lady Lawson Johnston is arranging the section for the first decade, and Lady Terrington the next. Lady Hambledon and the Dowager Countess of Airlie are arranging a coronation group for the 1830 to 1840 section. 'Those appearing in this are all descended from people who took an important part in the ceremonies at Queen Victoria’s coronation, and some of them will wear the dresses worn then. Lady Newnes’.s section, 1840 to 1850, will represent dresses worn at Queen Victoria’s ball in 1841. 1870 to 1880 will be represented by Du Mauriefc types, and Lady Du Maurier has charge of this Lady Tree, 1880 to 1890, i» taking pictures by famosu artists of that date as her models. In contrast with these Old World costumes Lady Hulton is arranging a display of the sheath frocks of 1910, and Lady Alexander, with the aid of Mme. Handley Seymour, is venturing into prophecy with the fashions of 1923. Some of the frocks of a hundred years ago or less will seem very queer to modern eyes, but people who nave seen the crinoline frocks say that they are fascinating enough to bring that style into favour again. Two thousand two-guinea tickets have been sold, and most of the granttier boxes, which cost from a hundred to a thousand guineas, have been taken.' There are still (states the “Guardian”) a good many of the sec-ond-tier boxes it twenty guineas available.

Several times an attempt has been made to induce the United States Congress to adopt a national flower. The effort is now being renewed, for a Bill I has been introduced proposing the modest daisy for that honour. The precedent has already been set by the several States in the adoption of State flowers. In thirty of them the choice has been made by the State Legislature, in six by a popular vote, in eight by the schools, and in one by a horticultural college. Only Missouri, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina nave so far refrained from making any selection. There have been several duplicate choices. The apple blossom has been adopted both by Arkansas and Michigan, the goldenrod by Alabama and Nebraska, the magnolia by Louisiana and Mississippi, the rhododenron by Washington and West Virginia, and the violet bv Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Indiana’s choice has fallen upon the carnation. New York has taken for her floral badge the rose, Georgia the Cherokee rose, lowa the wild rose, and North Dakota the wild prairie rose.